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  • BDD Moderators: Keif’ Richards

Hydrocodone Tolerance?

Laid2Rest

Bluelighter
Joined
Nov 24, 2013
Messages
69
Location
Michigan's Dirty D
I'm prescribed Vic HP 10/660's #180/30 days I'm on Day 23 and will be out tomorrow. Ive always had my script for 27-30 days and this month ive been taking an extra and a half a day (7-8 a day) my tolerance is obviously getting higher. But Im afraid if I try to fill it this early I'll get into trouble or something. My doctor knows how much pain I'm in but also told me to be careful about running out too soon. From experience do you BL's think I should bed rid myself for 7 more days or call them in and try and fill them saying ive taken 2 more a day than I should have? Ive got 5 c-disc purtrusions and slips with spinal cord pressure and it seems I feel it more and more as time goes on. This is not abuse related. I'm in more pain than ive ever been and I'm about ready to go ape shit. Would I be safe calling them in? Thanks for the advice!

I don't have insurance either so that wouldn't be an issue. I just wanna be safe about this.
 
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It really depends on your doctor but as a rule, doctors dont like to fill opioid scripts early. I would make an appointment to see your doctor in person, explain that you have had extra pain this month and are running short as a consequence.
Ringing in to docs for early refills is an early warning sign for drug abuse from most doctors point of view.
 
It really depends on your doctor but as a rule, doctors dont like to fill opioid scripts early. I would make an appointment to see your doctor in person, explain that you have had extra pain this month and are running short as a consequence.
Ringing in to docs for early refills is an early warning you.n for drug abuse from most doctors point of view.
Agreed. Thank you. I just have a drive to my doctor and it's 45-60 mins away. I was hoping to just go through the pharmacy but I can call my doc and see. I might just bed rid myself for a couple days and attempt to fill it on day 25. Is that still too early? I shouldn't be scared to ask for my pain meds but all the abusers make it difficult for us in pain
 
Solution, You need to talk to your doc and get him/her to switch you on 10/325 norcos so that you can try to take only 1. Or even maybe switch you to 10/325 oxycodone which you def will only need to take 1 of those.

Now what you can do if you need to get a script filled really badly is go to a different doctor in a different practice and explain to him your situation *only do this this one time IF YOU REALLY THINK its a bad idea to consult your current doctor* either way make sure you don't get hooked on these bud, all the politics is just mumbo jumbo the real issue is getting addicted.
 
yeah, you need to talk with your doctor about your pain escalating and that in order to control it you've needed to take more pills. you have suffered a serious injury, thats no joke or laughing matter, and i'm not surprised that your meds aren't holding you at that kind of dose to be honest. however, you don't want to come across to the doctor as an abuser of your medication, but you need to get the message across to him that your pain is above the painkilling level of this medicine at the prescribed dose and you can't stand it.

it's a bad idea to go down and try and fill it early - firstly the pharmacist is legally not allowed to (i've been there and tried it, though I'm in the UK the same rules apply prescription wise) and will most likely also flag you and "hold onto" your prescription as you've got a narcotic on there. even if you wait until day 25 they will still not be able to fill it.

don't say to the doc what meds you want, just say you've had to take extra. i wouldn't lie to him, but if you're that scared, say that you're repeatedly waking up in the night in excruciating pain. if you have to lie to him however, then perhaps he's not the best doctor for you and you should find a new one. do you have to drive down to your doc? can't you give him a phone call instead? because if you have to book a damn appointment and pay a consultation fee once again for seeing him about increasing your pain meds for a genuine spinal injury - thats just ridiculous and frankly unethical. he can surely fax the script through to the pharmacist and then they can dispense it from there on.

i'm sorry you're in so much pain bud, it sounds terrible. i hope you can get this sorted without any problems.

i wouldn't say to him that your tolerance is going up - because happening, but also you're just genuinely in a lot of pain that the medication can no longer control at that dose. if he says he can't scribe more, ask if there any medication that he prescribe which is stronger and you can use for the pain instead of what you're taking currently. i think that you're on the highest level with vics anyway now, and he would step you up to percocet 2.5/5mg. don't tell him what to give you. that won't go down well, for some doctors it can raise alarm bells.

aren't you on any extended release medicines? heres an opportunity for you to ask your doc whether he could give you medication that will last you the whole day rather than having to take lots of tablets at different periods of time. here in the UK they have DHC continuous, i know in the US they don't have DHC - but they must have something.
 
^
Oxycontin (extended release oxycodone)
Morphine er
Hydromorph er
Oxymorphone er
Tramadol er
These are some of the extended release meds available in US.
Doctor will likely go with oxycontin. Unless hes a complete shitbag, in which case he might try to palm you off with tramadol.
 
Thank you guys so much. God bless. I just took my last v about 20 mins ago. It's not gonna do much I had to take an extra one last night before bed. When I first started seeing my doctor we talked about percocet and he mentioned not being able to prescribe that. I don't think he was being truthful because before heput me on these he said "ok we're filling the percocet? " and I paused and said "Uh i thought it was vics?" and he corrected and wrote me the script.

Synthetix-thank you for the kind words and help my friend. I have to drive 2-3 towns away for my doctor. He's the only one that put me on narcotic pain meds. He makes me physically pick up the script and take it to my pharmacy. My muscle relaxers and Motrin he calls in. He says that's how he has to do it so Idk. I'm just scared to say anything about my pain meds because ive been switching so much. I was on 10/325 to start for about 2 months. Switched to 7.5/325 because I told him the 10s made me sick. 2 months later (2 refills only on any pain meds) I told him I'm taking more than I should because of pain and he bumped me up to #180. Then he asked me again how I was feeling and I told him I needed stronger so he's got me on these 10/660#180 forabout 5 months now. I may need to see another PCP but he's the only one ive had that prescribes these kind of meds. I'm gonna stick it out(still in bed) until Sunday and try and call them. That's day 27 or 28 so I should be able to get them. I want to be scribed Oxy but then again I don't. Like a m8 on here told me. They start low so u can move up when u get older. But Idk what to do. I can hardly turn my neck, kiss my wife, hold my step daughter, do anything really on days I'm not taking my meds. I have a really cool doc that has given me and listens to me. I just think its looking abusive now and I can't get flagged. He recommended surgery but said that wouldn't be a final solution I won't have full turn of my neck but I'd be "pain free". What a crock? 24 almost 25 and I'm going through this. I'm scared. I put myself in pain because I'm scared of what will happen if I open up. Here we go day 1 of 6 no meds. Wish me luck :(

I hope after this next script I can easily go to him and say listen I need something I know we've been switching but I need something better. I'm stuck between and rock and a hard place and it hurts.
 
Oh and extended release? Are OP 60 Oxy extended release? A close friend gave me one of those and it lasted
A long time. I would love ER I think.. May be something to ask about. Everywhere I look I see people saying "no tramadol" or it's bad. Why is that? I wanna stay away from it just from seeing the bad reviews.
 
Tramadols bad press is partly deserved and partly not. For some people (those who have lots of the right liver enzyme, its a genetic thing) its a decent painkiller but for others its weaker then codeine. It has a nasty ability to cause grand mal seizures, sometimes even at low doses.
This is because it has a side action as a SNRI (anti-depressant type effect) and some people dislike the feel of this SNRI action.
Tramadol is also terrible for nasty interactions with other meds and a really shitty withdrawal (i can personally attest to this).
All of this leads most people to consider tramadol to be not worth the trouble but if your someone who it works well for then it could be an option, its very effective for nerve pain but for muscle or bone pain you need a proper opiate/oid.
The sensible option is likely to be to switch you to oxycodone, maybe 20mg ER with some hydrocodone for breakthrough pain.
Best advice is to be honest with your doctor about your pain levels and the impact on your quality of life. His job is to help you manage your pain and keep quality of life but there has to be mutual trust and honesty if youre gonna acheive this. I hope you find some relief mate, im only a couple of years older then you and I also suffer chronic pain, so I know where you comi.g from.
 
Thanks Bunge, I'm going in after this script and telling him the truth and what's going on. That op60 did the trick do u think a low mg 20 would work for me or would I find myself taking more of those? I know Oxy tolerance is worse than hydro.. I'll toss it up to doc and see what he says. I may just look for another PCP and start over from scratch. Thank you again for your quick responses and help. Your alright buddy.
 
Yeah, I thik 20mg er WITH some hydrocodone ir or maybe oxycodone 5mg ir on top for breakthrough pain.
Its a standard pain management technique: use a strong extended release opiate/oid with a less potent or smaller dose instant release to 'top it up'.
Honesty really is the best policy regarding longterm pain relief because you will have years of pain ahead of you (possibly, I aint seen you med notes.lol) so its best to build a good relationship with your doctor/s now.
And your very welcome mate, im happy to help. If theres anything else you want to ask in future, then you know where I am buddy. :-)

P.s: be careful with copping strong pain relief from other people. Im sure to pain relief was awesome but as you said, your young and have a long road ahead. Dont push your tolerance too high, too early.
 
Yeah that's gotta be my next route. I'm only on vic 10/660s and zanaflex 4mg. Nothin but the vics for PM. I hope to god he puts me on stronger after this. To be out this early means a long road ahead.

I understand with the low mg to start. I took an oc 80 years ago to feel "high" so I bit the 60 in half then took the other half an hour later.

I have a lifetime of pain ahead of me mate. My Doc has told me. I'm used to it now dealing with pain and it affecting my life style. But it's getting so unbearable. I have what I explained in my opening post and some lower lumbar pain aswell (when I brought that up he said it was muscle pain but I know what I feel and he's wrong) but I never tell him otherwise.. I just shut up and hope he does something about it.. thats wrong I know but I don't want to be flagged or anything I need my medication man it's become apart of life for me now. Which is sad to say but it's true.. thanks again for looking out for me mate.
 
Your very welcome mate. Doctors can be hard work but you have to walk that line with pushing for the treatment you need without being flagged as a drug-seeker or just plain pain in the arse.lol
Btw, ive tried to PM you mate but your inbox is full, clear it and ill resend the message.
 
Really? Lol I have my welcome message and 1 message from someone else and that's it! I cleared it buddy so send away!

I feel he's watching me closer now which is what makes me nervous. Him telling my last time I ran out early "this isn't something you want to run out of early, it can get you into a bad position" or something like that. So ever since then ive been nervous. I just can't imagine being flagged and having nothing to help me now!

P.s. ive read the posts about grapefruit juice. Does that really potenate vics? Should I takea glass of it with my ddoses?
 
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UPDATE! I made this post a few days ago and they filled me today thank god.

SPECIAL THANKS TO "BUNGE" (BEN) my good English mate for making me in very high spirits and helping me cope with the pain while I was without. Great friend and glad we are becoming good mates :)

Everyone else thank you for the help and kind words!
 
Good that you were honest with yourself and nipped this in the bud before it spiralled out of control. Well done.

Must be in a hell of a lot of pain so i really do sympathise with you, best of luck and hope you have a safe and speedy recovery <3
 
Good that you were honest with yourself and nipped this in the bud before it spiralled out of control. Well done.

Must be in a hell of a lot of pain so i really do sympathise with you, best of luck and hope you have a safe and speedy recovery <3
Thanks friend :) now the task of asking doc what to do now that I'm taking more than I should to deal with the pain. Hopefully as Bunge said Oxy and vics. Not excited for the oc but will do what I have to in order to live a healthy pain free life. :)<3<3
 
Thanks friend :) now the task of asking doc what to do now that I'm taking more than I should to deal with the pain. Hopefully as Bunge said Oxy and vics. Not excited for the oc but will do what I have to in order to live a healthy pain free life. :)<3<3

Honestly the OP oxycontin is probably better for you than all the Vicodin you've been taking. That many 10/660s has an incredible amount of Tylenol, so you haven't been doing your liver any favors, as well as not fully controlling the pain because the medication plasma levels are always going up and down. But if you can just regularly take 1 or 2 OPs a day, without having to worry much/at all about breakthrough pain than you'll be much better off. And once you get at a good PM dose you shouldn't have to increase your dose for a long time if you take as prescribed.
 
alright mate, I thought id wave a hello on my way past this thread.
As felonious monk (great name btw) said, oxycontin really is the best route. From what I hear hydrocodone gives a nice high but isnt the best of opioids to relieve pain. Ha dx the doctor tried gabapentin as an adjunct med?
Im prescribed pregabalin (its bigger stronger brother) and mixed with an opiate the pain relieve is awesome.
 
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